SuperFooty gives an insight into what the 2014 AFL season could hold

THE NAB Challenge is just 36 days away and we're into the New Year. Time to shelve the countdowns and look to the future as we make 10 bold predictions about the 2014 AFL season. And yes, there's even some SuperCoach advice at the end.

JACK TO FOLLOW JAEGER AS KING OF THE KIDS

OK, not exactly the shock of the century, but if you haven't heard how good Jack Martin will be it's time to start reading. If Gold Coast didn't manage to jag this kid in the mini-draft he would've topped last year's draft pool by a mile - yep, ahead of Jesse Hogan, Tom Boyd and Josh Kelly. Malcolm Blight reckons Martin is the best young player he's seen and at 185cm the West Australian can win clearances, burst into space, carry the ball, tackle with aggression and boot clever goals. They say he's better than Jaeger and after a standout NEAFL season he's already the overwhelming Rising Star favourite (and $1.01 to win a nomination). Outside of the player being billed as a mini Adam Goodes, watch for Nathan Hrovat ($15) and Luke McDonald ($21) to give the award a nudge. Hrovat already looks a steal as the No. 21 pick two years ago, while McDonald, like Martin, has a state-league apprenticeship under his belt where he flourished in VFL finals and should immediately stamp himself on a half-back flank for the Roos.

DECISIONS aren't expected to be made until next month, but it's shaping up for Scott Pendlebury to take over from Nick Maxwell as captain at Collingwood and Nathan Jones to permanently be installed as Paul Roos' leader at Melbourne. The midfield gems, which were both selected early in the 2005 draft and reached their 150-game milestones last season, have long been in their respective leadership groups and had tastes of the top job in 2013. They wold join Western Bulldogs skipper Ryan Griffen, who last month replaced fellow star Matthew Boyd, as new captains in 2014.

THE AFL hasn't been too kind to new Brisbane Lions coach Justin Leppitsch. Four of Leppa's first five games in the box will be against 2013 finalists, with the other against the fast-rising Gold Coast Suns at Metricon Stadium. It could be a hellish start to Leppitsch's tenure in the box, particularly following the exodus of talent. Yes, the Lions scooped the early rounds of November's draft, but few of those raw teenagers are ready to rock. The Lions open 2014 with a long trip to face premier Hawthorn before duels with Geelong, the Suns, Port Adelaide (away) and Richmond. The Alan Richardson-less Power, which enjoyed the perfect start to 2013, could also battle at the start of this year. Port only faces one finalist in the first five rounds but when the other fixtures include duels with West Coast (Patersons Stadium), North Melbourne (Etihad Stadium) and the Showdown with the Crows it could also turn ugly very quickly. On the flip side, Adelaide, the Eagles and Cats will look to set up their 2014 campaigns with a flurry of early wins.

KURT Tippett wasted no time firing for the Swans last year and expect more of the same from Lance Franklin when he runs out in red and white. The superstar looks the best choice to collect the Coleman Medal - which would add to the pair already hanging in his Bondi abode. In Buddy's past 159 games he's been held goalless just six, yes, six, times. And that came even with Hawthorn's game plan altercation, which saw Buddy slip as the premier's go-to man. Buddy - tied to the Swans on a nine-year deal that blindsided the competition - will be hard to miss on the small SCG confines, where he's slotted 15.14 from five games as a Hawk. And you'll bet the big fella fancies his chances of adding a third premiership medallion around his neck a month later. Bring on his showdown with the Hawks and Norm Smith winner Brian Lake (and Franklin's close mate Josh Gibson) in Round 8.

News_Image_File: Lance Franklin has been held goalless just six times in his past 159 games. A third Coleman Medal for Buddy?

AFL GIVES IN ON GOOD FRIDAY FOOTY

FINALLY, finally it looks like Good Friday footy is coming. Expect at least one match-up to be on October's release of the 2015 fixture - but the golden question is who will win the coveted rights to play? North Melbourne has long had its hand in the air for a fixture, the Western Bulldogs want to play St Kilda on Good Friday and last year the Suns asked for a Queensland match to help rebuff the free kick the AFL gives the NRL on the holiday. AFL boss Andrew Demetriou has long stood firm on rejecting Good Friday bids, but the league's stance appears to be shifting. Suns superstar Gary Ablett is one of several key figures happy for the AFL to fixture a match - despite his strong religious ties. "My faith is everything to me. Without God I don't think anything is possible. I don't talk about it too much but my faith is important to me," he said last year.

IT seems the Saints are firmly on the right track after a couple of years spent overhauling their list, replacing potent talent with prized teenagers, but there appears another backwards step to take first. Impressive coach Alan Richardson takes charge of a side which missed finals in 2012 and then lost Brendon Goddard, Nick Dal Santo, Ben McEvoy, Jason Blake, Justin Koschitzke, Ahmed Saad, Jamie Cripps and Jason Gram in the following 24 months. That screams pain - on and off the field - with St Kilda declaring its pair of losses to begin 2013 resulted in memberships drying up "abruptly", contributing to the statutory loss of more than $2.5m. That will place added pressure on the Saints' first two games this season - against the only sides to finish below them (Melbourne and GWS). They'll start favourites at both those Etihad Stadium duels but two losses would see the Saints shorten considerably for a record 27th wooden spoon - well ahead of the second-worst performed club (Kangaroos with 13).

News_Image_File: A bad start to 2014 could see St Kilda firm for its 27th wooden spoon.

FORGET THE CAP, RUNNER RESTRICTION SET TO BACKFIRE

THE cap of 120 interchange rotations per match dominated talk from the six rule changes which will be implemented for the 2014 season, but many at club land are more concerned about the runner restriction. Clubs can now use just one runner per match, meaning no longer will the fluoro kit be thrown to anyone from the footy department. Clubs now need to source an extremely fit candidate (the Giants are expected to use Simon Katich), and will likely switch every few weeks, to avoid runner fatigue. And the rule, designed to reduce on-field clutter, could have the wrong effect with runners likely to take longer to vacate the field after delivering messages late in games as they begin to tire. It has many officials bemused, but while the rotation cap isn't popular with clubs, it isn't expected to cause too many headaches. Most clubs averaged around 130-140 rotations in 2013, meaning the reduction needed for some could be as few as 2-3 per quarter. The Blues, Dockers and Power tended to rotate their midfielders most heavily last year, so expect to see Juddy spend more time up forward and less on the pine this season.

News_Image_File: Runner fatigue could strike in 2014.

PIES, DONS OUT OF SEPTEMBER MIX?

DON'T be surprised if Collingwood's streak of eight-straight finals appearances - a current record - comes to a screeching halt this year. And Mark Thompson's Essendon could also bomb out in 2014, such is the evenness of the competition. The Magpies were far from convincing in 2013 and have since lost Heath Shaw, Dale Thomas, Darren Jolly, Ben Johnson and Alan Didak. The future at the Westpac Centre is bright, with Nathan Buckley generating five prized draft picks in the past two years plus securing Taylor Adams, but the fruits of that fearsome collection won't be ripe until about 2016. The Pies and Bombers face tricky starts to the season, culminating in Anzac Day, with both huge chances to enter that blockbuster on the wrong side of the win-loss ledger. Club experts are predicting West Coast, North Melbourne and Adelaide to rebound from their hellish 2013s and Gold Coast to continue its rapid improvement, putting a squeeze on top-eight finishes never seen before.

ACROSS the past three weeks Herald Sun footy experts have delved inside each club to nominate which youngsters (or, in the Dees' case, veteran) are ready to leap forward and take the AFL by storm. Here's the collaboration of players to keep an eye on in 2014:

ADELAIDE: Brad Crouch - explosive, tough and skilful. Like all the other mini-draft grads, he's a special talent. Bizarre other clubs didn't move heaven and earth to participate.

BRISBANE LIONS: James Aish - a Rolls Royce midfielder who slipped to No. 7 due to queries on his inside game. But two SANFL flags as a teen shows the Lions have a keeper.

CARLTON: Tom Bell - he's shed kilos, been elevated to the senior list and looks set to unleash

COLLINGWOOD: Taylor Adams - the tough inside beast is entering his third AFL season and will slot into the Pies' starting side

ESSENDON: Joe Daniher - the Dons' goalsquare should be owned by the father-son bargain in the absence of Crameri and Gumby.

WEST COAST: Sharrod Wellingham - showed glimpses in his debut Eagle season but that was marred by ankle injuries

WESTERN BULLDOGS: Lachie Hunter - has a great footy brain and the confidence to execute clever moves

ROOS ON THE RISE

IT seems since the Hawks lifted the premiership cup the buzz team has consistently been North Melbourne - and with good reason. The additions to Arden St in the off-season have been tremendous. Couple that with a side which frustratingly showed it was top-four quality in 2013, only to bomb out and miss the eight, and you're left with an intriguing potion. The Roos finished last season with a percentage of 119.5 - and the number crunchers will tell you that's a massive indicator as to where a side ranks. Disregarding 2012 when the expansion sides were at their collective weakest, you have to track back to Adelaide in 2003 for the last time a side missed the top four with a higher percentage than North's last year. Before that, you have to trawl back to Richmond (of course!) in 1968 as the last side to miss the finals all together with a percentage of 120 or greater. As for those additions… Brad Scott will inject Nick Dal Santo and Luke McDonald into his best 18, while Leigh Tudor - who went close to senior coaching jobs at Brisbane Lions and Essendon - and Gavin Brown must be the most-hyped coaching staff additions of the summer. With a friendly fixture, if the Roos can find a way to close out those heart-stopping games (they lost five games by less than a goal) a top-four finish should be theirs.

News_Image_File: Nick Dal Santo could help lift the Roos into the top four.

AND TO FINISH WITH... BEST SUPERCOACH ROOKIE PICKS

LET'S go early and try to nail the hardest (and most crucial) part of SuperCoach - rookie picks. Below is a selection of players worth considering for the final places on each line of your 2014 side. They all represent huge value and could be the cash cows needed for a boom campaign. You'll need about 2-4 rookies in each position to flourish this year.

DEFENCE

Matt Fuller (Dogs, $117,300) - the mature-aged defender with a super boot joined the Dogs from Norwood and is a huge Round 1 chance

Jeremy Laidler (Swans, $161,800) - a tough side to crack, but averaged 68 at Carlton which is enough for a healthy price gain

Jack Martin (Suns, $222,300) - Most expensive rookie in SuperCoach history is worth it

News_Image_File: Dayle Garlett has trundles of outside silk and skill.

RUCKS

Rory Lobb (GWS, $117,300) - 205cm ex-basketballer who dominated in the WAFL. Will start behind Mumford and Giles in pecking order

Toby Nankervis (Swans, $117,300) - U18 numbers mirrored Brodie Grundy. Could get a go on the back of Sydney's thin ruck stocks

Michael Apeness (Freo, $137,300, fwd) - could get an early look with Sandi likely to be nursed and Clarke bunging his knee at Falls. Clunks big grabs and kicks goals. Will he shout the Freo tall division tickets to Splendour?

News_Rich_Media: Eastern Rangers full forward/ruckman Michael Apeness is a rare commodity in this draft: a tall forward who is efficient in front of goal.

FORWARDS

Lewis Taylor (Lions, $117,300, mid) - close to the steal of the draft. Pocket rocket ready to go and averaged 126 in the TAC Cup

Jay Kennedy-Harris (Dees, $117,300) - Jake Neade-type sizzling at Dees training and should get opportunities at the feet of Clark, Hogan, Dawes

Jack Redpath (Dogs, $123,900) - OK, won't score heavily but a left-field choice. Look for the rookie to get opportunities in the Dogs backline

Gary Rohan (Swans, $176,200) - finally fully fit, Rohan is hard to overlook at this price, if he can avoid the dreaded vest

Jesse Hogan (Dees, $217,300) - averaged 94 playing against men in the VFL last year. A beast who works up the ground and will play from Round 1. Worth the money

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News_Image_File: Jesse Hogan could be worth the cash in SuperCoach. Photo: Josie Hayden

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